Lost in Eden
by Vytina
Summary: "Love is not one of mine, Eve. No, it is one of his. But I've come to know how to use it, to claim it for my own. Just as I will do to you, my Eve."


**A/N: I received a request months ago to do a sequel of sorts to "Mistress of Fear", and finally I have produced it. My sincere apologies for being so late!**

**As stated above, this can be taken as a sequel to "Mistress of Fear". It does, however, reference Iris' almost-wedding in "Descent into Darkness", just so there's no confusion. ^^**

**Title: Lost in Eden**

**Pairing: Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow x Iris DeLaine (OC)**

**Rating: M - sexual content. Reader disgression is STRONGLY advised.**

**Summary: "Love is not one of mine, Eve. It is one of His. But I found a way to use it, to claim it as my own. Just as I will you, my Eve."**

**Disclaimer: This work was a collaborative effort of myself and Charlotte A. Cavatica. BIG thanks to her! Do not use or reference this without BOTH her permission and my own. Thank you!**

**Please review!**

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**Lost in Eden**

No matter the time of day or season of the year, there were two things her bedroom always was: dark and cool. It only conceived more rumors about the owner of such a room—a room with the windows always left open a crack, even in the dead of winter, and the curtains always drawn closed. Naturally, these whispers and flits of gossip were completely ignored by the young woman who resided within this room. She cared little for what they thought of her; she had long since grown to ignore their whispers and move on with her life.

If only it were so easy.

How long had it been now—two weeks? Perhaps four weeks? Time was escaping from her. The only time she truly felt calm and rational was within this very room. It was, by no means, a place where a multitude of people would wish to reside at one time, for some social gathering. But it was a lovely place all the same…her own private place where she could sit and let her mind wander. And, perhaps more importantly, her mind _wondered_. It pondered many things, though she was not entirely certain if she was meant to ponder and contemplate such things.

These grounded ideas of right and wrong. The simple truths of what was good and what was evil, though they rarely seemed so simple. The beauty of innocence and purity, and its opposing force, the ugliness of contamination and deceit. The honesty of love—of _true love_—and the cruelty of lies and lust.

They seemed so simple, and how often had she been educated, been instructed to believe these as the simple truths of her world? Often…so often…_too_ often, and that was precisely the problem. She had been so reassured of what was _truth_ and what was _falsehood_; she had recited over and over again what her purpose was in this world and promised to fulfill such duties. Over and over and over and over, these words had passed from her lips. And yet, with each time she recited her purpose in this world, the more she believed they were not true. But did that make them lies? What did it make these words, and if they were not true, if they had always been her purpose and the fiber of her very being, what did that make her?

Her head grew weary of these thoughts; it much preferred to rest upon a soft bed of cool comfort. But here, in this moment when she stood upon two legs in the middle of the floor, where could she find such a bed? Most assuredly, it was nowhere to be seen.

But she was so tired…so weary…

Her legs sank, bringing her down to cold, firm earth. Her body folded like the leaf in a harsh wind, ready and willing to crumple upon the earth. After all, it was _the will_, who was she to question it?

Only, she did not fall on firm, if not often harsh, ground. No…this was the cool bed she had desired. Yet it felt new…odd, really. It would not remain still…it would not lie in one place, as beds ought to do. In fact…it was most certainly moving—no, it was _winding_, curving and spiraling around her willing, naked form, catching her from a descent and bringing her closer to cool, thick skin. Then there was a whisper—a _hiss_ in her ear…and a voice…

"I knew I would find you, my beauty. I told you I would return for you…"

Her heart clenched in a vice more painful than the very coils which held her away from the earth. It could not be…it was not…

It was. It was _him_.

"Oh…oh, God," she whispered, nearly shaking at the very thought. What did he want with her now? Had he not done enough already?

"He cannot hear us now, Eve…not where we are," he rasped against her skin, darting out his tongue against her before slowly scraping his teeth over her flesh. "Don't cry out for your Creator now…not when you have me…"

"No," she whimpered, "no, no, I shouldn't, I can't, I'm not supposed to…"

"But don't you want to _know_, Eve? Don't you want to understand…to see…to think? Don't you want to dream? When you close your eyes, what do you see? Nothingness? A void? You must…because you cannot think…there is nothing for you to dream. You can't even imagine the dreams I can give you, Eve. Don't you want to know what it is to imagine…to have a thought in your head beyond what is put there by someone else?" Oh, that maddening tongue, those sharp teeth, that seductive, purring hiss, so much more paralyzing than any poison could hope to be.

"But He said…and I'm just…Adam's never…"

"Why Adam, Eve? Why are you destined to be with Adam? Wouldn't you like to ponder that? To be able to think about why you have to settle for Adam? To question what He tells you…to think freely and for yourself? God can't give you yourself, little one…but I can give you Eve, and so much more, if you just let me…"

"N…no…no, this isn't…not right…He said to stay away from you. We—_I_ was not meant to know…your teachings…"

"And why not? Why are you so forbidden from everything, hmm? Don't touch this, don't eat this fruit, don't look at this, don't think about that…so many 'don'ts', Eve…don't you want to know what it would be _like_…?"

"Just…just another 'don't,'" she gasped. "You…you're just trying to…"

"To tempt you, Eve?" he hissed, coils sliding over her, pinning her, caressing her, hungry to teach her, knowing her. "To seduce you? With what? With a piece of fruit? Oh, no, Eve…not with an apple. Yesss…I want to watch you take that apple down from the tree…put it to your lips…watch you unveil those teeth and sink into it…break the crisp red skin, feel and taste its juice sliding over your tongue…pull back a big, refreshing bite…watch you chew it, that crisp, clean, wonderful taste dancing across your palate…watch you swallow…yesss. I want to see that. But do you know _why_, Eve?"

"I…I don't know—I don't _care_…I don't want to hear any more. I'm not supposed to…"

"I want to watch you reach out for yourself, Eve. To satisfy your hunger with your own mind, your own body. Reach out and take what you want…to do what you want, what comes to you from yourself, your own head…not because you are commanded to do so…not because you are instructed to do so. Because you want to…because you can. Doesn't that sound beautiful, Eve? Because you _can_. Because you _thought to_. Why should it be a sin to be who you are? What kind of _God_ would make you as you are only to punish you for it? No God worth revering…no God worth obeying. And what can Adam do, Eve? What can he give you? Not half so much as I…not near as much as I…and all I ask from you is just that you let me give you all that I can…"

"I…I…oh God…God, please…"

"Shhh….hush, hush…none of that, my sweet little one…we don't need to have him right now, do we?"

"N-No….no, please, God…"

"Don't cry out for him, Eve," he hissed against her skin, manipulating her body and mind and her very soul so easily…so wonderfully…such a perfect creation he had been given, all because her _creator_ had thrown her away. "Not when you have me. Not when we're together. Do you want him to take you away?"

"N…nnn…."

"Tell me, Eve. Let me hear you say it."

"N-No…no…I don't think…I want to…be taken away." He rewarded her with a touch of those cool scales to something, some part of her, that made her squirm with the wonderful sensation of his touch…

"That's right…that's it. It feels good to tell the truth, doesn't it, Eve? Does it not feel light and clean? Just like your pretty soul…just like your clean, pure heart. If telling the truth feels this good…imagine what knowing the truth must be like. I know the truth. It is beautiful and glorious, Eve. More beautiful and precious than anything you have ever felt. More rapturous and pure than any Creator. Would you like to know the truth, Eve? I can show you the truth…give you the truth. I can take you out of darkness. Why do you want to walk in darkness, when I can bring you into the glory and light of knowledge? All you have to do…is say yes…"

The heat of her skin slowly dissipated into the cool, sleek sensation of scales, powerful, graceful coils slithering around her…the imagination was far too potent with this one…so many questions lingering within her mind…and a mind overflowing with knowledge, ready and eager to educate her.

The coils were slithering and slipping and sliding all around her, wrapping firmly under her thigh—the leg lifted helplessly—the cool, never-ending body nestled between her legs, swaying to and fro, seducing her away from this place…from the paradise of ignorance….

"Say yesss, Eve," the serpent hissed, all dark green scales and red tongue and black, endless eyes. "Take what you want…"

Oh, she shouldn't…she shouldn't ever think about it. Shouldn't be with him, like this…that smooth, sinuous body sliding against her. _He_'d warned her about him…told her not to go near him…told him that he was the deceiver, that he would tempt her and then he would lead her astray. She should be with Adam…should be in service to her Creator…should be good…

He slid over her skin, his touch pleasantly heavy and teasingly light. His tongue flicked out against her most sensitive points…her nipples, her throat, her hips. He was everywhere, coiled around her, those powerful muscles flexing with the suggestion of constriction, the comprehension of what he could do to her small, fragile body if he chose to. He could break her…he could hold her so tight she'd die in his coils…but he was so gentle…so careful, and he was making her feel so good…

That head suddenly slipped between her thighs, body moving in that glorious, seductive slither. His tongue flickered out against her, breath whispering over her, making her even more desperate and drawing her down deeper and deeper.

"It's so easy, Eve…so very easy. What Creator would give you the ability to know…and then bar you from it? What kind of tease is that, little one? It's a child's game…stop playing. Are you a toy, Eve? A little doll? Or are you alive…are you a woman? Show me, Eve…say yesss…say it…let me show you what I can teach you…"

His head was secured between her legs, but those coils…the endless, endless wrappings of thick, powerful coils—boneless but filled with muscle—were not so idle. No…they were sliding, slipping all around, across her. Slipping under her back—her spine arched obediently—around and between her lower legs—they spread obediently—around her chest and torso—her skin ached to feel his touch…

She was little more than a puppet to his strings…and he knew it.

"Your body seeks for me…seeks the pleasures of the flesh, Eve…but what does your mind want? Does it seek pleasure of knowing? Does it thirst for the water of knowledge? What of your heart? Does your heart long to be rid of the chains and bindings of ignorance? Do you ache to taste freedom? Do you fear—for you know of the death that will come from your ignorance—this fate which _HE_ has set for you? And Adam…the little boy who would whisk you away to some pretty little cave, dress you in fine white ropes and tie you down to his bed, to serve his needs and then toss you away when he is finished? Why be clothed….? Your body…so graceful, so beautiful…feel your body, Eve…feel it…feel your beauty…touch it…"

"I…I…" She squirmed desperately, writhing in passion and desire. He was perfect…just perfect. The most beautiful, most desirable creature in all of Eden…smooth, gleaming scales, fathomless eyes, whispery, musical voice, those sharp, lethal teeth that just lightly scraped her, just pleasured her with the edge of a point. And, perhaps above all else, a body which swayed and danced with the most careless of motions with liquid grace. It was absolutely sinful.

"Feel your beauty, Eve. Own your body," he hissed, serpent's tongue lapping against her and making her moan at the touch.

Her hands slid down, trembling, terrified, and brushed against her skin. Her skin, usually so cool, felt warm—was he making her warm, absorbing her heat, wrapping around her because she kept him comfortable? Her fingertips began to explore slowly, her mouth gasping as she touched, as she felt pleasure from her own hands.

"Mmm….lower, little one…lower…"

Her gasp was choked as her fingertips finally made contact with that searing heat, nearly scalding fire within…this wasn't her…couldn't be her—oh God, it _was_ her…so completely and absolutely _her_…

"I…I…"

That tongue was tickling her earlobe sensually, "Yesssss…..you are ssssoooo beautiful this way…."

"Oh…oh, G-Go…" She cut herself off with a toss of her head, writhing under the ministrations of her fingertips.

"Very good…so very good…we don't need Him now, do we…?"

"N-No…no…I don't…I sh-shouldn't even know how t-to do this…"

"You're learning, Eve. Experimenting…trying and failing and trying again and succeeding. Aren't the rewards great, little one? Doesn't it feel so good to learn…to know?"

"I…I…yes," she admitted. "Yes, it feels good…feels so good…"

"Of courssse it doesss…" he hissed, low and dark and rich and pleased. She wanted him to be pleased…wanted him to have that curl of satisfaction in his whispers. "Go ahead, Eve…make your noises…cry out…there's no shame in it…what does a beautiful creature like you know of shame, yes? No shame at all…just beauty…and truth…and knowledge."

"Oh, oh yes, yes…oh, Serpent…"

"I like that, Eve…I like to hear you call my name. Will you call out the other one? The one you're forbidden to say…the one He told you was bad. Will you call out my name for me, Eve? Let me hear who is teaching you this…watching you…"

Her fingers touched something that made her entire body burn white-hot with a pleasure that felt far too good to not be absolutely sinful.

"I….I…!!!"

"Mmm…you like touching yourself there, don't you? Just touch, lovely…touch yourself and teach yourself…but say my name…say your teacher's name…"

Her white teeth bit down into the flesh of her lip, whimpering softly as the name slipped off her tongue.

"Lucifer…Lucifer….Master…"

She cracked her eyes open enough to watch him as she said his name. Those dark, dark eyes, threatening and mysterious and deep as the pit itself burned sharp and hot with flames of…oh, oh no, that had to be something new…flames of…yes…of lust. She'd never seen anything like it…not on the Creator's face…on Adam's face…no, only on this serpentine, beautiful, animal face.

And it was all for her.

"Yes!" he rasped desperately, lunging for her, all his viper instincts speeding him towards her as if to bite her and swallow her whole, take her deep inside him and keep her there, his, only his. His teeth did find her shoulder, piercing her skin—she cried out, more in the pleasure of the sensations than in the terror she should be feeling. "Again!"

"Lucifer…Lucifer…my Master…"

"Yesss…yesss…your Master. Always your Master…but only your body's Master…because your mind is free, Eve. I have your soul, I have your body…but I will not steal your thoughts. Those are yours."

"So merciful…so, so generous…" she gasped, searing pleasure licking at her nerves with every stroke of her fingers. "A fair Master…a loving Master…you…you would give me so much more than He would…"

"That's right, Eve…and I can make you more…I can give you more. I can teach you…I can help you think…imagine…dream…think for yourself. Give you freedom…real freedom. I can make you your Master's Mistress…no more 'don'ts', Eve. No more 'forbiddens'…no more 'shalt nots'…no more darkness, ignorance, lies…no more God, Eve…no more Adam. Just you…and I…and knowledge. All I ask is this beautiful body…this body that would be bound against your will and used foully because He demands it…this body that is yours, yours to give freely…and that clean, pretty soul. Give me your body, Eve…offer your body to me…let me teach this body…keep this body…and that delicious, lovely soul…and I will give you all my body…yes, even this charred heart…I will give you all of Earth and Hell, and all the knowledge in it…"

Her nails scraped slowly over the soft earth beneath her body…their bodies, entwined and wrapped so tightly together…it made her want to scream, cry, do anything…this was sheer madness….

"Oh GOD!!"

"No…not God…" he hissed from between her legs, "Do not scream his name…ever again…you belong to _me_!!"

"Master…Master, please…I just….I….oh Lucifer…"

"Good, more. Mine…you are mine….always and forever mine. Scream it…scream…let me hear it…raise your voice for _me_, Eve…not Him…never Him again…look what he's done to you…and look what I have done _for_ you."

A soft hiss, a delphinic, dancing slither downwards, and suddenly he was there, nudging her hand out of the way, his serpent's tongue flickering out once, twice against her, laving at her, tickling and twisting and pushing that hot, wet softness against the part of her body that made her body simply _shriek_…

"_Master_!! Yes, yes, oh _yes_, Lucifer, Master, my Master, my Lord, my Lucifer, oh Lucifer, yes…"

He relished, ravaged her for a few more minutes, but all too soon, he'd pulled away, that forked tongue flicking out to clean his lips. That sharp, poisonous eyes watched her in silent admiration, watching her pant and try to gather herself once again.

"Oh…Master…" she moaned softly.

He hissed softly, slithering closer, wrapping those thick coils around her body, slipping between her thighs—those sweetly quivering limbs around him.

"M-Master…"

"Shhh…"

She froze as she felt something nudging against her, pressing close to her delicate center. Something hot and hard, something that made her want to twist with nerves and excitement.

"Oh, G—Lucifer…" she whispered. "Master, what are…what are you?"

"Learn, Eve. Know," he hissed, coils tangling and tightening around her, body arching over her beautifully.

That…thing…that part of him that was touching her touched her again, this time moving forward and not stopping when it met her skin. It pushed more, slid inside her, somehow, infecting her with him, bringing him inside her.

It felt incredible. Right. Real. Not sinful or dirty…just…so right.

"Ohh…ohh…oh Lucifer…oh, my G…my Lucifer…Master…"

"Eve…oh, yesss, Eve…oh, I don't think your human's even done this yet…oh…yessssss…"

"No…no, he hasn't. he's never touched me…never been this way…never wanted me like this…"

"Fool…" he hissed, almost furiously, "Little, insolent fool…slave of fashion and his own self-indulgence…ignorant fool…some weak little suitor who would dare share my beautiful creation…my sweet, delicate angel…my Eve…"

"Lucifer…Serpent, Master…I…I just…oh! Oh, Master…what are you doing to me…?"

"I call it 'lust,'" he whispered, pushing back into her. "It makes your body want…makes your insides slick and hot. It makes my body want in another way…makes me get stiff and sensitive. It feels good…it feels deep and hungry, like water, like the night. It's vast when neglected and shrinks when it's acted on."

"It's strong…I feel it…oh, Master…oh…I can't…my head's spinning…"

"That's right, Eve…that's it. Lose yourself. Feel. Understand. Take what you want and touch, reach out and know…"

"Lucifer…Lucifer…there's…a difference. You…you do…_that_!! Oh, that! Yes! And it feels…oh, it feels so good. But then…then you…do one of those…"

"Those, Eve?"

"The things…you…push your mouth against me, my skin…let your tongue out to taste me, hot and soft…and it feels good in another way. Not the same way. What is it? If…if you inside and pushing is lust…what is you outside and touching softly?"

He could have purred with her sweet questions. Such wonderful innocence…she wanted to know, wanted to learn. He knew she would want this…but not like this…not with such sweet desperation…

"I call it 'desire', my sweet one. It is a relative of 'lust', but not nearly as rough and raw…desire can be sweet and gentle, when it wants to be, that is…"

She swallowed hard, "Desire…Lust…then…"

"Then what, my love?"

"Then…I understand what I'm…feeling…for my Master…"

He moaned in the back of his long throat, leaning down and scraping his teeth gently against her throat. "Yes…oh, Eve…yesss…I want that desire, that lust for me…only for me…only and ever for me."

"Yes," she whispered. "I just…another question, Master…please…another one…"

"Ask…ask and I'll teach you…"

"You called me…'my love'…what is that? What does it…oh, yes, Lucifer…what does it mean?"

He smiled, rocking in and out of her. "It is not mine," he hissed. "It is one of His…but I have found a way to like it…use it…feel it. It is like lust, without bodies…it is when your soul wants the way your body wants when you lust, but the soul wants with or without the body. It is my second favorite creation of His…the second of two that I appreciate."

"Th-the…first?"

"You, Eve. He created you…and I will remake you. And you will be mine…"

"I am…." She whispered hoarsely, "I am yours, I'm completely yours and wholly yours…just promise me that you won't stop…promise me that you won't stop….please promise me…"

"Never. You are mine, completely and totally mine. I can never let you go…I won't let you go…"

"Oh…oh, yes…" she moaned, squirming beneath him. "Yes, I feel like…oh, I feel like I'm on fire…something is happening to me, Master…"

"Do it," he panted. "Do it. Let me see you. Let me watch…"

"Oh, my…ohh…I need, please, I…oh…_Jonathan_…!"

He swooped down on her, rocking in and out of her, meshing his lips with hers as if he was going to suck her heart out through her mouth. "Yes, Iris, Eve, yes!"

She didn't leave her fantasy…couldn't…wouldn't…not now. But her serpent had another name…her king of darkness, of sin and death and freedom had another name…and she would use it. Her nails were clawing through cool skin—cool scales—flesh—there was blood seeping down, staining her nails and fingers alike…this was incredible…he was so alive and yet so surreal, she didn't want to open her eyes anymore…she just wanted to keep this memory, this image forever…

"Iris—Eve—oh, sweet sin…you're incredible…oh, I can still remember you…Eve, dressed in white…that color was so horrid on you…but you were in the rain, your hair staining your skin and that hideous white garment…"

"You ripped it apart…" she whispered, "You were shredding it as we walked…never stopped kissing me while you were ripping that thing off me…"

"It was so damn hideous…they were trying to chain you down…."

"You didn't let them…you'd never let them."

"They'd put…something…on you. Something, I don't know what it was—flowers, probably, but something on you—all over you—coating you, until I couldn't smell you, your skin, your soap. I wanted to clean you, _cleanse you_, scrub off a few layers of skin if I had to, to get you away from that smell…so cheap and artificial. You never wore perfume…or if you did, you never wore enough to mask the way you smelled."

She dug down, tighter, deeper. Hold the image close…the man, the snake…the angel and the devil…

"Trying to hide the smell of your blood from me…trying to package you up as another woman, rearrange the very components of your cells to try to make you someone different! Pack you up and ship you off to some dog, some filthy swine that could use you and rape you and keep you trapped and enslaved forever…no. No. You were who you are…not some manufactured pressed perfect little toy…you had blood, you had a smell, hair like an ink blot and a heart like a hurricane…not white. Not a virgin. Not cut, coiffed, perfected, balanced, dressed, jeweled, bedecked, prettified, made-up, _scented_…ready for sale. You were mine…mine already. And I wanted what was mine…who was mine. It was magnificent to throw that thing in the mud…in the gravel and swamp. I hope they found it…dragged it out and saw what happened when they tried to hide you from me…"

"You took me away," she whispered. "Take me away…always. Rip open every dress but the one that will bind me to you…"

"I wanted you…I wanted you so much when I got you back. I didn't know if I was an escape or if you truly wanted me…but I wanted you…"

"I did want you—I _always_ want you. More than anything in this world, more than anyone or everyone, you are all I want. You've set me free, you've showed me how to soar and fly higher than I ever thought possible. You let my soul grow and grow…it's still growing, all because of you. You know just what to do to me…touch me, love me, hold me, make me yours, infect me…."

"Yes," he whispered, body wrapped tight around her, above her, inside her, "yes, you are mine…mine to hold and love…all mine. My Iris…my Eve."


End file.
